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Postponed vs Defer - What's the difference?

postponed | defer |

As verbs the difference between postponed and defer

is that postponed is past tense of postpone while defer is to delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service.

As an adjective postponed

is done later than originally planned; delayed.

postponed

English

Verb

(head)
  • (postpone)

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Done later than originally planned; delayed.

    • defer

    English

    Etymology 1

    * From (etyl) differer, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (deferr)
  • To delay or postpone; especially to postpone induction into military service.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Defer the spoil of the city until night.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1818 , author=Mary Shelley , title=Frankenstein , chapter=3 citation , passage=My departure for Ingolstadt, which had been deferred by these events, was now again determined upon.}}
  • to delay, to wait
  • * Milton
    • God will not long defer / To vindicate the glory of his name.
  • (American football) to choose to kick off after winning the opening coin toss.
    • Related terms
    * differ
    Derived terms
    * deferral

    Etymology 2

    * From (etyl)

    Verb

    (deferr)
  • (legal) To submit to the opinion or desire of another in respect to their judgment or authority.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Hereupon the commissioners deferred the matter to the Earl of Northumberland.
  • * 1899 ,
    • "Well, I must defer to your judgment. You are captain," he said with marked civility.
  • to render, to offer
  • * Brevint
    • worship deferred to the Virgin
    Derived terms
    * deference

    Anagrams

    * * ----